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Where do you store your onions?

11 years ago

Loved that 1946 "Convenient Kitchen" video iroll re-posted yesterday.

Video

There were any number of thought provoking ideas there, but the one that made me wonder was the under-cabinet storage bins for onions and potatoes. I don't buy onions in 20 lb bags (potatoes either!), but I usually have a few on hand. My current solution is to drop them on the pantry shelf and hope I use them before they grow fuzz on the shelf. Surely someone has a better solution.


P.S. Didn't they have potato peelers in 1946? Mom was putting an awful lot of good potato in the garbage using that paring knife.

Comments (24)

  • 11 years ago

    I have an x-narrow elfa fine-mesh drawer stack, the bottom drawer is for onions, the next for potatoes, then napkins, towels, straws, and the Foreman grill on top. Not enough storage in my kitchen! But the onions and potatoes keep well there. I usually buy a 5# bag of onions and they last till they're gone.

    I liked those bins, too, makes total sense. I wonder if the base cabinets extend beneath them, or what?

  • 11 years ago

    I'm not much better than the OP. Mine are on a rollout in pantry. I have them front and center in a 'decorative' (office style) bin. Cloth inserts are washable

  • 11 years ago

    I keep onions and potatoes in baskets in a drawer in my pantry.

  • 11 years ago

    Thanks for the container store tip. These mesh drawers will work well in our pantry for root veges.


  • 11 years ago

    The Elfa drawers are a great idea! In fact, we use the larger built-in version for a clothes hamper in the closet.


  • 11 years ago

    I use a lot of onions so keep them in a large white pedestal bowl on the counter. Guess its a bit decorative?

  • 11 years ago

    I keep them in a wicker basket on an open shelf on our island. Sometimes when it's really humid in the summer they'll rot, but usually last ages there. Same with potatoes.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I keep my onions and potatoes in wooden bowls on the counter. Partially used onions then go in plastic wrap in the fridge.

  • 11 years ago

    I've always understood that potatoes and onions need to be stored away from each other. Gases from the onions cause taters to sprout. I sometimes start onions in a basket on the counter if the fridge is full but because I only buy sweet onions I move them to the fridge within a few days. I typically only buy a weeks worth and use a lot of onions. I store both in the fridge away from each other.

  • 11 years ago

    I've heard that, too, about storing them away from each other. I wonder how far away? For how long? I only have about two weeks' worth of each at a time, I don't buy 20#.

  • 11 years ago

    I keep my taters in the veggie bin and onions on a shelf on the opposite side of the fridge. I only buy a bag of new potatoes and a few bakers at a time. I buy a sack if I'm doing mashers for a crowd.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I have baskets in my island for non-refrigerated produce. Bulky items in the larger basket on the bottom (a butternut squash, or a bag of baby reds), a smaller one for onions and shallots, and one for fruit and tomatoes.

  • 11 years ago

    I store mine in the fridge! Potatoes however are NEVER to go in the fridge because of the starch .

  • 11 years ago

    Interesting post Mine are either in a rigid tiered wire basket or in the pantry in a washable bin

    I heard that light causes potatoes to turn green, so I put a microfiber towel over the potatoes

    I have been buying smaller quantities as cooking just for 2 of us, so easier to find a home for them In addition, we have a new farm store that makes it easy to get fresh produce year round The store is a great concept The farmers bring in their produce and each farmer has bar code stickers to identify their produce at checkout Think of it as a consignment Farmer's Market They only accept produce from farmers and not local gardeners The basic rule is farming is their livelihood and not a hobby

    I used to store them in the basement until I had a mouse problem I think I resolved the mouse issue with the new siding as I haven't seen any for several years but haven't moved them back to the basement


  • 11 years ago

    I keep onions in a basket in the pantry. Potatoes are also in the pantry - usually in their mesh bag.

  • 11 years ago

    Potatoes are in the pantry. It is true that they should not be stored in the same location as onions. You can put them in different drawers/cabinets.

    Onions in the fridge has been a wonderful solution for me. It stops my eyes from watering. There are some kitchen posts recommending putting onions in the freezer but it is not necessary. Having them in the fridge will do the trick.

    If you need an onion quickly and it has not been stored in the fridge you can put it in the freezer for 10 or 15 minutes and that will diminish the tearing up effect too.

  • 11 years ago

    Baskets on bottom shelf of the pantry, lined with paper towels in case I miss an onion with a rotten spot or something.

  • 11 years ago

    I keep onions on the counter at all times in a beautiful cherry bowl that my brother made me. I also have ginger, garlic, potatoes, apples and bananas out in the same corner of the counter all the time as well and usually some other fruit/vegetable as well....right now it's lemons and limes. We go through alot of fresh veg/fruit so they really never go bad on me. I love how beautiful and organic they look out on my counter...and all the bowls are decorative and different...I love it!!

  • 11 years ago

    Our potatoes are kept covered on the back porch where it is cool and dry. A dark basement is also a good place. Store bought potatoes will last us about two months before they start sprouting, if any remain by then. Depends on the potato, also. Smooth skinned is what we normally buy for storage for cooking. Baking potatoes are usually eaten within a week of purchase, so it doesn't matter where they are stored.

  • 11 years ago

    I keep reading this as "Where do you store your opinions?" :)

  • 11 years ago

    Lol. Those go in my back pocket where I sit on them.

  • 11 years ago
  • 10 years ago

    Any updates on the threads and links on storage or what you found worked or did not work?


    I have a heavy wooden pull out drawer in our 100+ year old pantry that I thought I would add a divider to and put the taters in there but...should I drill a couple of holes in the face for ventilation? Or just use the stainless steel bins with towels over them?